4 Reasons Why Small Business Should Implement Mobile Recruiting in 2017
Read the full article at: www.social-hire.stfi.re
Should Small Business Implement Mobile Recruiting?
On the go and need to view a few links? Insightly’s app has you covered
When you need to view key info when you’re on the go, your CRM app should make it easy. With the latest version of the Insightly app (version 3.18), you can now add links to your text fields and open them within the app. So, you’ll never get sidetracked by opening another app when you’re preparing for meeting with clients or customers. And, the best news of all is that these improvements are available on BOTH our iOS and Android apps. The screenshots below showcase these improvements best.
With version 3.18 of Insightly’s app, you can now:
- Rich text editing. Users can bold, italic and, more important, add links in text fields such as description.
- Sorting. Users can sort ascending or descending on a number of fields when they filter their records
- In-app browsing. Users can easily view any URL without leaving the app.
- Add and edit email tags. Users can now tag emails or edit existing email tags from the app.
If you want these improvements, make sure that you update your app to the most recent version (3.18). And, best of all, Insightly apps are completely free and available on all plans – including the free plan. You can download the iOS app here and the Android app here.
And, if you don’t have an Insightly account, sign up for a free account today!
5 Tools Your Nonprofit Needs to Thrive in 2017
Are you ready to make 2017 your best fundraising year ever? Want to reach more people, target a wider base of donors and get your message heard far and wide?
Nonprofits face growing challenges–limited government funding and corporate sponsorship, a widening pool of competition, and higher needs among underserved populations make the work of nonprofits seem ever more difficult. Over the past few years many nonprofits have found that, in order to reach their goals they have to stop thinking like for-profits (although, it doesn’t hurt to incorporate a few of their best practices) and start playing up their unique strengths.
Nonprofits are the do-gooders and the changers in the world. Their impact stories touch hearts and change lives. Different than selling cars, insurance, or widgets, nonprofit don’t sell anything tangible. Instead, they give others the opportunity to make a difference. They help people pool together their money toward furthering a cause.
Even in a challenging landscape and with large goals, nonprofits have access to many tools at their disposal to help them be successful. Most nonprofits require gifts management system, the ability to send letters, a calendar to track grant deadlines, and the ability to process proposals.
As we move toward a more mobile-friendly society, nonprofits need to keep up with competition, so their voices can be heard and they can reach their supporters. Building on community connections, stewardship and “friendraising” is just as important as fundraising when it comes to furthering their cause.
Donors will shy away from hard-to-navigate websites. One of the primary goals of any nonprofit should be making donating as easy as possible.
So what are some of the top tool your nonprofit needs to thrive in 2017?
- A CRM
If you’re still relying on spreadsheets to track your contacts, potential donors and community connections, it’s time to move forward! Adopting a CRM can seem daunting, especially when staff time is limited, but using a product like Insightly is simple, easy and intuitive. Once your employees see how they can share information, integrate with existing programs they already use and generally simplify their lives, they will be on board.
A CRM helps you steward your donors and keep track of all of the connections you’ve worked so hard to build. No more will contact information laps or slip through the cracks. No more will you be embarrassed because you forgot some key information about an important contact. You will be able to manage all of the information simply, easily and in one place.
- Mobile Fundraising Tools
Donors are become increasingly comfortable with mobile giving. There are a number of options you can use to help simplify donations, even allowing donors to “text” in their gift or receive updates and alerts from your organization.
At the minimum, mobile-optimization of your website is critical, and your donation button needs to be front and center. If donors can’t find out how to support you, they will look for another cause to take their gift. Make it easy for them by offering online giving options, donations through Paypal, or using crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe and Donorschoose to encourage support. Don’t forget to set up a wish list for donors who prefer to give in-kind rather than money.
- Video
Video is a game-changer for nonprofits. With all charitable organizations it’s about the story, the message and capturing the impact of support on your populations. Your story is vital to your cause. If you’re using tools to help you do more good, and spend less time on administration, you should use that time to learn and work on your video and media presence.
Video enables you to share your story in an eye-catching way that connects with your volunteers and supporters in a way that other forms of media just can’t do. You don’t need to spend on fancy equipment, as many tablets and phones now offer video capabilities on par. Still, spending some time to learn software editing options and understanding how to shoot and compose quick video and share it with an audience can be a huge boost for nonprofits.
- Social Media
Social media is still critical for nonprofits, and so many just don’t have the time to keep up! Optimize social media for donor stewardship and to share your message with your target audience. Social media can be a great tool to share the stories of your volunteers, network with others who might need your vital services, and of course, connect with supporters.
One of the keys to managing social media is to only bite off as much as you can manage–you don’t need to have Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and LinkedIn. Pick one or two platforms, your staff is most comfortable with and you feel connects with your target audience. Then stay consistent with your posting. Responsiveness is critical (the “social” part of social media), so make social media a priority but keep it manageable.
- Design Software
Design is important when it comes to grant proposals and logic models. When a foundation or funder has tons of proposals to sort through, having an eye-catching piece can really make your proposal stand out. Having consistent branding and following best practices can help give your organization an identity that will resonate with your target audience.
You don’t have to be a graphic designer or spend major dollars on hiring someone with professional design skills. Many programs can be accessed only for free or very little cost. Canva, PicMonkey and other design programs help take your proposal and look from “basic” to “standout”. Use design elements to beautify your marketing materials, your website and for graphics you share on social media.
With a few simple and cost-effective tools, you can ensure that your nonprofit will have the best year ever in 2017. Use a few smart strategies to stretch your time and software investments and enable your staff to really succeed in a polished and professional market. You do great work–use helpers to work smarter, not harder.
At Insightly, we offer a CRM used by small and mid-sized businesses from a variety of verticals. Learn about all of Insightly’s features and plans on our pricing page or sign up for a free trial.
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Find Time to Make Marketing Your Small Business a Priority
As your business starts to grow, where do you find the time to focus on marketing your small business? Zachary Evans has some tips
Read the full article at: spinsucks.stfi.re
An Overview of Small Business Loans
Small business owners have many options open to them today. However, they no longer can depend on embracing the traditional path. It is quite impossible for most small businesses to get a bank loan. If statistics were to be believed more than 80 percent of the small business entrepreneurs have been denied loans from the banks. The good news is that a multitude of small business lenders has come up to take the place of the traditional banks. But it is important to know which lender is your best option. If you are looking for a business loan in the current year, identifying the right lender and determining the best type of loan could be a pretty complicated and confusing process. The very first step towards choosing a business loan would be answering a few critical questions that would help put you on the right track. What is the exact amount you need? Why do you need the money? When do you need the money? Is there urgency? When do you intend to repay the loan? Since when are you in this
Read the full article at: iconshots.com
How to Feed the Buzz Machine
Turn It Up Tuesday: Tips from Insightly to Take Your Business to 11
Welcome to Turn It Up Tuesday, where we bring you 4 weekly tips—a tip on running your business, a tip on using Insightly CRM, a tip on improving your sales, and a tip on improving your life. Enjoy this week’s tips!
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Create New Leads Simply by Scanning Business Cards |
| Networking events, trade shows, and expos have one thing in common: they’re particularly good at filling your briefcase with dozens of new business cards. In fact, if you’ve attended an event in the last few months, there’s a decent chance that you still have a few cards to organize.
For a busy professional like you, manually sorting and keying in prospect data isn’t high on your priority list (as evidenced by your jam-packed briefcase). Luckily, if you’re on a paid Insightly account, there’s a nifty feature that you need in your life. Insightly allows you to scan business cards, thereby creating a lead or contact record. Here’s how it works.
Once your card is successfully transcribed and added as a new record, you’ll receive an email from Insightly. Goodbye manual data entry!
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Drive More Buzz to Your Booth |
Most companies attend at least one trade show per year. It could be a small event in your community, or it could be a highly anticipated expo in Las Vegas. Regardless of the event’s size, prudent companies take pre-event action to create buzz. What are some tactics for driving buzz at your booth? Here are a few ideas: Booth offers: Pens and folders are fine, but what can you give away that your audience will love? An exclusive free trial? A really wacky gift that your competitors would never dream of? You might even consider hosting a drawing (just be sure to play by the rules). Free tickets: Some event organizers will provide exhibitors with a limited number of tickets to distribute. Take full advantage of this opportunity. With ever-increasing attendance fees, your customers might really appreciate free admission. Targeted email blasts: A tasteful blast can go a long way to stir up buzz. If you’re attending a show in Indiana, sending an announcement to all Hoosier business owners (and possibly those in surrounding states) could work nicely. This can be especially effective when combined with the aforementioned offers. Email signature lines: Think about how many emails your team sends each day. Why not use the real estate in your signature lines to promote an upcoming event? Be sure to point out your booth number and link to an informational page. Example: Stop by our booth 100 at CRM2017. Click here for free tickets (Note: This is a fictional event).
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Don’t Skimp on Your Shoes (& Other Convention Tips) |
Trade shows might be good for your bottom line, but they’re probably not great for your health. Sure, you do get a lot of steps in, pacing from one exhibit to the next. Unfortunately, the floor is hard, the lighting is bad, and the food – well, let’s just say baked salmon isn’t on the menu. How can you have an event that’s both beneficial for your business and body? Here are a few simple ideas.
Make your next conference the best one yet. Spend time designing a plan that shows off the best version of yourself! |
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Develop a Post-Event Sales Strategy |
Despite your best efforts, trade show leads are usually the most expensive to acquire. Think about it – there’s a lot of cost that goes into exhibiting: exhibitor fees, travel expenses, hotel rooms and food, promotional items, and the value of your (and your staff’s) time. After the dust settles from an event, the real work truly begins. You need a post-event sales strategy to deliver return on investment. Here are a few suggestions to consider:
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Would you like to share your tips with Insightly customers? Send them to us! If we use one in our weekly feature we’ll send you a $10 Amazon Gift Card! Contact us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or send us an email.
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About the author: Matt Keener is a marketing consultant and President of Keener Marketing Solutions, LLC. Matt specializes in content marketing and strategic planning, having helped numerous Saas (software as a service) companies and other small businesses worldwide. Read more of Matt’s work, check out his book, or connect with him on Linkedin.
How to Keep Your Employees’ Skills Fresh
Are your employees reaching their full potential? Is your office running at max capacity, using the latest tools and technology at your disposal?
Chances are, even in the most efficient and tech-savvy offices, there is still room for improvement. Chance are also, it’s not the fault of your employees!
Small business owners often require their staff to wear several different hats. They run on shoe-string budgets. Whether it’s a startup or a mom-and-pop company, time is precious. Employees need to be efficient, flexible and willing to roll with new tasks and challenges.
So the question is, as a small business owner, are you keeping your employee’s skills fresh? Are you giving them the opportunity to really shine? Are they using skills they are naturally suited for, and successfully tackling new technology?
No matter the industry there are a few ways you can keep your employee’s skills fresh and up-to-date.
1.Train them on SEO Basics
SEO–Search Engine Optimization is becoming a basic skill on the small business front. What it means in the simplest language is “wording content so Google can find your company’s site”.
There are many people out there who will offer to “optimize” your site, one-time for you for a big fee. While you might need some expertise and help to get started, having internal help going forward can save you time, energy and stress, especially if you’re regularly adding dynamic content to your website.
Google’s (and other search engines) web crawlers and search tactics are always adapting and changing. SEO isn’t a one-time fix. Content can be boosted by current events, by news, and as the face of business changes. Training your employees on the basics will help them keep your company’s content on the forefront of web-searches (and make sure your customers can find you!).
2. Foster Web Development Skills
Similar to SEO basics, web development skills can mean the difference between outsourcing simple updates and being able to quickly resolve things in-house. In the long run having some basic web-development skills will help your employees feel more ownership over your site and better connect with your customers. This is particularly important for eCommerce businesses.
Your employees don’t have to be fluent in HTML or know how to build a website from scratch, but giving them a chance to learn basic updating skills can help your company stay on top of concerns, troubleshoot and quickly create content when the need arises.
Many employees can quickly learn the basics with online-tutorials and classes. You can also find one-on-one trainers to spend a day of professional development training your office with the basics. As a small business owner, you should also have a handle on how to develop your web presence.
3. Encourage Social Media Savvy
Most employees are familiar with social media from a personal perspective, and it’s easy to become complacent or assume they already understand everything about social media for business (a different beast). Encourage your employees to read industry-specific publications, sign up for webinars and training and become familiar with social media best practices that apply to your office.
Social media is a way to connect with your customers and engage with potential customers and your community. It’s imperative that you present a professional front that’s in-line with your brand and voice. Having a rogue post on social media, or unprofessional posts can really frighten customers away and even offend them.
Encourage employees to follow a simple social media protocol when it comes to engaging with customers. Have strong branding guidelines, and a grasp of your target audience will help employees stay on the same page when it comes to updating your social media and connecting with customers and clients.
4. Familiarize them with Software
So you have a CRM, billing and invoicing software, communications tools like MailChimp, calendar programs, scheduling, project and task-management systems. Great! How many of your employees actually know how to use all of the software tools at their disposal?
Chance are, your employees aren’t using your software to full capacity, and you’re losing out on time and productivity in the process. You can learn more about your CRM by visiting Insightly Help Center for a full list of training videos and webinars. Many of your company’s software providers will offer support and assistance.
While training your employees on the full-range and capacity of your software programs seems like a time-consuming endeavor, it can really boost your office efficiency. Your employees will feel confident and may even come up with great new solution and ways to solve problems.
5. Make Training Fun and Relevant
We’ve all sat through training that was boring and less-than-inspiring. Rather than forcing employees to snooze through another training session, encourage them to get involved with hands-on-learning and find fun, and creative ways to make training exciting.
Webinars, and videos are often more engaging than lectures, and employees can learn at their own pace as it aligns with their schedule. If you have to do in-depth training, offer breaks, snacks, and chances for your employees to get up move around and have some fun.
Make up incentives and challenges to help your employees feel enthusiastic about their training. Give them a chance to share their knowledge with other employees and take ownership of their new found skills.
6. Help Them Find Their Niche
Not every person is good at learning every new skill. Your salespeople might be wonderful at connecting with customers, but learning about SEO and web design might bore them to tears. Analytic employees might love to build information and add tags, fields and categories in your CRM, but might not enjoy social media.
Find the natural aptitudes of your employee base. In a small office, you all might have to tackle some jobs that are challenging or uncomfortable, but you should be able find the best fit for every task.
Play on strengths and discover what your employees feel enthused about. Rather than trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, let your employees guide you toward the things they really enjoy and feel good doing. When they are working on tasks they enjoy, they will bring their best work to the table.
Even small business owners can find the time to build up skills and keep your employees’ skills fresh. You don’t have to have a huge training budget or massive amounts of time. Use the tools at your disposal and find ways to help your team shine!
At Insightly, we offer a CRM used by small and mid-sized businesses from a variety of verticals. Learn about all of Insightly’s features and plans on our pricing page or sign up for a free trial.
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12 Ways to Gauge a New Business Trend
Business experts share tips on how you can best gauge whether or not a business trend is worth putting into motion for your startup.
Read the full article at: www.blackenterprise.com
Small Business Ideas and Resources for Entrepreneurs
Visit Inc.com for the latest issue of Inc. Magazine and get advice, tools, and services that help your small business grow.
Read the full article at: www.inc.com
Step by Step Guide to a Profitable Small Business Blog
Want to know how to create a blog that supports business growth? This is a step by step guide to a profitable small business blog!
Read the full article at: rebekahradice.com
